Purchase only FPO certified processed fruit products:

Purchase only FPO certified processed fruit products:

When buying products like packaged fruit beverages, fruit-jams, crushes and squashes, pickles, dehydrated fruit products, fruit extracts, sauces, ketchups, pickles, vinegars, canned juices, pulps, frozen vegetables and fruits, cereal flakes containing fruits and other similar products containing processed fruits and vegetables, check out for FPO mark on them. And buy only those products that have FPO mark on them.

The FPO mark is a certification mark mandatory on all processed fruit products sold in India.

In India, all processed and packaged fruit products are mandated to be certified with FPO Mark. Food Process Order mark or FPO mark is issued by the Ministry of Food processing Industry which also develops the standards for this mark.

The FPO mark guarantees that the product was manufactured in a hygienic 'food-safe' environment, thus ensuring that the product is fit for consumption.

Never reuse oil already used for frying and beware of snacks and other food items high in trans fats:

Never reuse oil already used for frying and beware of snacks and other food items high in trans fats:

Many refined oils which have negligible levels of trans fats are found to have trans fats as high as 4gm per 100gm on reheating or when repeatedly used after frying.

Reused oils that had been already used for frying are loaded with trans fats, a class of fatty acids that raise the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

So never reuse the oil that has already been used for frying. And stay away from foods having high levels of trans fat in them.

In a day you have to limit the amount of trans fats to less than 1 percent of your total daily calories. That means if you need about 2,000 calories a day, less than 20 calories (or 2 grams) should come from trans fats. For good health, the majority of fats you eat should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.

Many hotels and eateries reuse the same oil in preparing a variety of snacks that had already been used for frying many times. So stay away from such snacks that are made from reused oils that contain high amounts of trans fats.

Consuming snacks and other food items high in trans fats can lead to high cholesterol levels in the blood, which can cause health conditions such as heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

You can sign cheques or communicate in any Indian language:

You can sign cheques or communicate in any Indian language:

You can fill in details such as your name in any scheduled regional language on the cheque you issue and can even sign the cheque in that language.

Cheque books are printed in Hindi and English. This means that details to be filled on a cheque leaf are asked in both the languages.

However, you can use any regional language while using cheque leaves at a bank. You can fill the details such as your name in any scheduled regional language and can even sign the cheque in that language.

But the signature in the bank records should match the one made in the regional language on your cheque.

If any government issued document is lost or misplaced, it is mandatory to register an FIR.

If any government issued document is lost or misplaced, it is mandatory to register an FIR.

What should you do when bank misplaces or loses your original property documents?

When you are collecting original documents from bank after home loan closure, kindly check each and every page. It is advisable to carry Xerox of all the documents with you to match in case of doubt.

If you observe any single original document is missing then it is advisable to return all the original documents back to the bank.

The bank might insist on your taking the rest of the documents and sign an acknowledgment.

The bank will assure you that the missing documents/pages will be located soon and returned to you, but be firm on your stand and return all the documents back to the bank.

Do not sign any acknowledgment/undertaking: Ideally don’t sign the acknowledgment without checking all the documents.

Remember once you sign the acknowledgment you can’t claim that document/page had been lost by the bank.

Immediately register a written complaint with bank and do mention that original documents are missing and have been lost by the bank. Don't forget to take acknowledgment from bank official along with bank seal.

And never forget to register an FIR against bank: If any government issued document is lost or misplaced, it is mandatory to register an FIR.

In the FIR clearly state that the bank has lost your original documents which you had submitted in original against home loan from the bank.

Do you know you can file cheque bounce cases in your city where you deposited the cheque?

Do you know you can file cheque bounce cases in your city where you deposited the cheque?

If you have received a cheque from a party and the issuing bank that are based not in your city say Bengaluru. And when such a cheque bounces, you can file a complaint in your city Bengaluru only and you don’t have to go to a place where the cheque issuing bank has jurisdiction or to the place of the party issuing the cheque.

It is the party who has issued the cheque that has bounced has to travel to your city to attend legal proceedings.

The punishment for cheque bouncing includes both imprisonment and penalty. Such cases tend to go on for a long time.

The government has recently notified the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Act, which allows the complainant to file a complaint in the city, where he is based or where the cheque has been deposited. The Act was passed by Parliament in its winter session that concluded in December 2015.

Complainants whose cheques have bounced can be happy about this move. People issuing the cheques have to be more careful because in the absence of sufficient amount or diverse signature, they will have to go through the pain of travelling to another city repeatedly to fight their case.

Karnataka Railway Police Toll Free Helpline number and Whatsapp number:

Karnataka Railway Police Toll Free Helpline number and Whatsapp number:

If you find anything strange at railway stations or in trains then you may alert the railway police on this toll free railway police control room helpline number 1800 425 1363.  

You can give any information about any security issues related to trains, railway stations, railway tracks, unattended objects or suspicious persons on this toll free number.

You can even pass any information about an offence, crime or any anti-social activity at a railway station or in a train on this toll free number .

And the best thing what you could do when you witness any nuisance or anti-social activity at a railway station or in a train, capture or record it on your mobile phone and WhatsApp it to the Karnataka Railway Police Whatsapp helpline number 94808 02140.

Before wishing your loved ones happy journey on railways give them these two numbers to ensure their safety: Toll free number: 1800 425 1363;                                                       Whatsapp number: 94808 02140.

Let us ensure our and our loved ones safety on railways.

Do you know how long your children should sleep?

Do you know how long your children should sleep?

Either lack or excess of sleep can lead to health risks like hypertension, obesity, diabetes and depression among children and teenagers, warns a research team led by an Indian-origin scientist.

The findings showed that insufficient hours of sleep could increase the risk of accidents and injuries as also lead to self-harm, suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts among teenagers.

And sleeping for longer hours may also be associated with adverse health outcome such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and mental health problems.

"Adequate sleep is essential for the children who are in the critical years of early development," according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Illinois.

A good sleep pattern can lead to better health outcome like improved attention, behaviour, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, mental and physical health.

Researchers recommend at least 12 to 16 hours of sleep per day is imperative for infants (four to 12 months).

For children between one to two years of age, 11 to 14 hours sleep is essential, and for those who are three to five years, 10 to 13 hours is needed.

Nine to 12 hours for children between six to 12 years and eight to 10 hours of sleep for teenagers from 13 to 18 years is good for them and their overall health.

How well do you know Cauliflower?

How well do you know Cauliflower?

Cauliflower is the new soya and a versatile vegetable that can be made into rice, dough, mashed potatoes and even cookies and pudding.

The American Institute of Cancer Research has placed cauliflower in the list of vegetables that fight cancer.

A cruciferous vegetable, it is said to be an excellent source of Vitamins B,C,K, manganese, potassium, foliate and also omega 3 and chlorine.
You could replace carbohydrates like rice, potatoes and wheat with cauliflower.

At the same time Cauliflower is not good to patients of hypothyroidism, those on blood thinners and lactating mothers and they must avoid over eating cauliflower in any form.

Cauliflower is universally known as a gas producing vegetable and is not recommended to thyroid patients as it interferes with iodine absorption. Those on blood thinners and lactating moms are also advised to exercise caution while eating cauliflower.

Complex carbohydrates in cauliflower cause gas, hence those suffering from this trouble should be careful. Lactating mothers, those on blood thinners and patients of hypothyroidism should consult their doctor before eating cauliflower.

How To Best Match Your Oils To Foods?

How To Best Match Your Oils To Foods?

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that oil behaves differently when heated – it changes texture, colour, taste and nutritional properties.

When the oil reaches its smoking point, a lot of the nutrients are destroyed and it can sometimes form harmful compounds.

It is beneficial to consume a mix of oils to maintain a balance between the three fatty acids. The only way to ensure that you consume healthy oil is by switching between two-three of them.

For instance, by using groundnut oil one month and then using sunflower oil/mustard oil in another. Any single oil alone is not preferred.

Blending oils is another option, whereby you take equal proportions of different oils in one container and then use it.

This way you do not get prolonged exposure to the side effects of one type of oil and also get the benefits of different oils.

You could also have two or more different kinds of oils in your kitchen which you could use for different purposes. For example, you could use olive oil for salads, groundnut oil for frying, and mustard/soybean oil for other cooking purposes.

This will let you avail the health benefits offered by each oil brand.

India Post does not having any obligation or liability if India Post misplaces or loses your parcel

India Post does not having any obligation or liability if India Post misplaces or loses your parcel

If you are under the notion that posts or parcels sent through registered India Post are highly safe and secured, then you are wrong.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), India’s top consumer court, has ruled that India Post cannot be prosecuted for lost parcels.

                    

The ruling stated that India Post cannot be seen as a provider of commercial postal

Services. But it is an arm of the government.

As the government could not be hauled to consumer courts, the postal department also could not be made to pay for misplacing registered posts.

“Services rendered by the Post Office are merely statutory and there is no contractual liability,”

“By establishing the Post Offices and running the postal service, the central government performs a governmental function and the government does not engage in commercial transaction with the sender of the article through post,” the order noted.

Therefore if you are sending any very important parcel through registered India Post then, be cautioned. India Post does not having any obligation or liability if India Post misplaces or loses your parcel.

Do you think drinking raw milk is healthier?

Do you think drinking raw milk is healthier?

Drinking raw milk is not at all healthy. It does not prevent or cure any diseases, such as asthma, allergies, heart disease.

There are no any health benefits from drinking raw milk (milk that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful germs). But pasteurized milk is healthy as it is free of disease-causing bacteria.

Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to a high-enough temperature for a long-enough time to kill illness-causing bacteria contained in the milk.

There were times when millions of people became sick and died of diseases like tuberculosis, scarlet fever, typhoid fever and other infections that were transmitted through raw milk.

Raw milk contains bacteria, and some of them can be harmful. So, if you’re thinking about consuming raw milk because you believe that it is a good source of beneficial bacteria, you need to know that it is not. You may instead get sick from the harmful bacteria.

So never drink raw milk but drink milk boiled on moderate temperature. 

Boiling of Milk

       Boiling of Milk

If you believe boiling of milk at high temperature keeps the nutrients in milk intact, then you are probably wrong.

As per a study published in The Journal of American Science, boiling of milk is

recommended as follows:

Milk boiling for two minutes provides the required safety. However, continuous stirring is essential, particularly at boiling temperature, to make sure that the formed foam is exposed to boiling temperature.

A large number of people heat and re-heat the same milk again and again, and that too at a high temperature for a long time, thus killing the nutrients.

According to experts, milk subjected to less heating retains its nutrient value. Experts say milk should ideally be boiled not more than twice and not for more than 2 to 3 minutes.

How to buy pure honey from the adulterated ones

How to buy pure honey from the adulterated ones

Here are a few simple tests you can do at home to check if your honey is pure or impure:

Read the label

The first thing you should do before buying a jar of honey is read the label and check that the ingredient list doesn’t contain ‘high-fructose corn syrup’ or commercial glucose. These two additives that are frequently used to ‘stretch’ the honey and keep it from solidifying.

Solidification of the honey

All honey is liquid, but with time they tend to solidify, or ‘crystallize’ into a substance resembling grains of sugar. If you buy a jar of honey that is already crystallized, it is pure. If your honey is liquid, you can wait a few days to see if it solidifies or throw it in the fridge to accelerate the process. If the honey never crystallizes, there is a high probability that it is adulterated honey.

Jewellery Hallmark

Jewellery Hallmark

               What Sign One Should Check Before Purchasing Gold Jewellery?

               One must check hallmark before purchasing gold jewellery.                                          Hallmark consists of  five components, they are:

1.     BIS Standard Mark

2.     Purity Grade:

Gold Purity grade shows how pure the gold is:

Pure gold has 999 – 24 carat purity grade.

3.  Mark of Hallmarking Centre:

One must check for logo of hallmarking centre where the jewellery has been hallmarked.

4.     Year of Marking:

Alphabets represent the year of hallmarking of jewellery and are decided by BIS, for e.g. letter A denotes year 2000, similarly J for 2008, N for 2010, M for 2011, and N for 2012 etc.

5.     Jewelers Identification Mark:

Many jewelers keep their own identification mark as BIS certified jeweler.

Please ensure you look for jewellery showrooms selling BIS Hallmark jewelery.

Buy Hallmark Jewellery only. It assures the mark of purity.

Ask for cash memo or invoice which will help BIS to resolve complaints if any.

What is AGMARK?

What is AGMARK?

AGMARK means Agriculture Mark is a certification mark employed on agricultural products in India. Products bearing AGMARK assure that they conform to a set of standards approved by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, an agency of the Government of India.

• AGMARK is quality Certification Mark of the Government of India.

• Products certified under AGMARK confirm to the scientifically laid down quality standards.

• AGMARK certified products are processed packed in hygienic conditions.

When you buy any of the following agricultural products like

• Vegetable Oils • Blended Edible Vegetable Oils

• Spice (whole and powdered) • Powdered Mixed Spices

• Compounded Asafoetida (Hing) • Cereals and Pulses

• Ghee, Butter, Fat Spread • Honey and many more items of daily use.

Please check if these products bear a certified AGMARK on them. And buy only AGMARK certified products. 

How well do you know a genuine ISI Mark?

How well do you know a genuine ISI Mark?

How well do you know a genuine ISI Mark:

The BIS Standard Mark (ISI Mark) is a quality mark.

This is a certification mark of the bureau of Indian standards (BIS), which was earlier called the Indian standards institution (ISI).

Most consumers prefer ISI Marked products. With the growing demand of ISI marked products, the instance of misuse of ISI Mark is also on the rise.

Unscrupulous manufacturers are trying to cheat the consumers by marking products with ISI Mark without obtaining the valid licence from BIS.

Every ISI symbol has a 7-digit number below it.

Now the 7-digit number is tricky. You pay attention to the first five digits only. And work backwards.

You start with the 5th digit. Multiply that by 1 Then go to the 4th, multiply that by 2. Next comes, yes, the 3rd digit - multiply that by 3. Mulitply the 2nd  digit by 4 and the  1st digit by 5.

Then you add all the numbers you get. The total will be the exact same number as the last two digits.

Take this number as an example: ISI 7 9 0 9 3 9 2

3 x 1 = 3; 9 x 2 = 18; 0 x 3 = 0; 9 x 4 = 36; 7 x 5 = 35;

Add 3+18+0+36+35 = 92

And there you have it, unless the fake ISI symbol makers can do basic math themselves and create a plausible number.

One important fact to remember is that if a product is popular, you can be sure there will be a lot of fakes made.

The smart thing to do, is to always buy your products from a credible and reliable outlets. Get a receipt and keep it. If you find that the product bears a fake ISI mark and then send your complaints by logging on to www.bis.org.in or report it to ddgenf@bis.org.in.

Your medical records

Patients can demand their medical records up to three years from their doctors or hospitals

Do you know that your physician is bound to maintain your medical records for three years? And you can request your medical records from your physician any time when you need them.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has emphasised that it is obligatory on doctors and hospitals to provide a copy of the medical record to a patient or his legal representative within 72 hours of the request being made. Hospitals must provide medical record to patients.

As per law, medical records belong to the medical professionals/entities but patients have a right to review them, demand copies of them, and demand their confidentiality as per the Medical Council of India (MCI) regulations.  

Every physician has to maintain medical records pertaining to his/her indoor patients for three years from the date of commencement of treatment as per the regulations.

Health benefits of sugarcane juice

Health benefits of sugarcane juice

          Indulge in a glass of sugarcane juice. Apart from cooling your body, it is loaded with           several other health benefits.

• Energy booster: Sugarcane juice is rich in the good kind of carbohydrates, protein, iron and potassium that make it the ideal energy drink.

• Not bad for diabetics in moderation: If you are a diabetic and crave something sweet, sip on a glass of sugarcane juice for instant fix, though moderately. It has sucrose which has a low glycemic index.

• Prevents cancer: Sugarcane is packed with antioxidants. Thus it helps prevent diseases like cancer, especially prostate and breast, which cannot survive in an alkaline environment.

• Beats dehydration: It replenishes lost electrolytes and water during summer as it has a high concentration of essential nutrients.

• Good for kidneys: Sugarcane juice is a diuretic so it helps improve the functioning of kidneys. It also aids in treatment of urinary tract infections.

• Keeps liver healthy: Sugarcane juice is regarded as one of the best treatments for liver-related sicknesses like jaundice and some other diseases which cause high fever. It replenishes your body with lost proteins and nutrients that are needed to recover quickly.

• Aids in digestion: The potassium present in sugarcane juice helps balance the pH levels of your stomach and facilitates the secretion of digestive juices.

• Prevents heart diseases: It helps decrease the levels of unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides, thus preventing heart diseases and stroke.

• Gives a healthy skin: It is a good source of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid, which helps to increase cell turnover. It also unclogs the skin pores and reduces occurrence of acne. 

Natural antibiotics

Natural antibiotics

Natural antibiotics:

Long before there were pharmaceutical antibiotics, food and herbs that guard against infections and diseases were used. Superbugs have still not developed resistance to these natural antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotic pills leads to antibiotic resistance.

Some antibiotics pills are believed to have some side effects on their intake by patients, to avoid this, use these home remedies found in your kitchen: 

Turmeric: The wonder spice acts as an antibacterial agent and fights against infection in wounds or boils. It can be taken internally or applied directly to the skin.

Eucalyptus: Aromatic leaves of eucalyptus are rich in powerful antibacterials and used in inhalation to treat respiratory infections or applied externally to prevent infection in wounds.

Pomegranate: Pomegranate juice has strong anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties. It reduces microbes that are found in the mouth responsible for cavities and staph infections.

Herbs and spices: Basil and oregano have antibacterial properties. Cumin, mustard and bay leaf contain a powerful antibiotic compound that weakens bacterial resistance. Pepper is effective to fight off intestinal bacteria. Thus, include all of these in your cooking.

Coconut oil: It has naturally occurring anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties and is packed with antioxidants not found anywhere else in nature. It is good for both topical application as well as internal consumption.

Garlic and ginger: Eat raw garlic cloves or use it in cooking as it is not only an antibiotic but also anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal and an antioxidant. Ginger is more effective against bacterial infections than antibiotics.

Berries: Cranberry, raspberry and blueberry have been shown to provide antibiotic benefits. They have been used to cure urinary tract infections and reduce the growth of salmonella, shigella and E. coli.

Honey: It is one of the best natural antibiotics, antimicrobials and antiseptics known to man. An enzyme found in honey releases hydrogen peroxide which fights against infection and prevents the growth of bacteria. So, consume raw and organic honey.

Lemon: Fresh lemon juice boosts your immune system as it is full of vitamin C with antibiotic effects. Lime juice is found to be protective against cholera.

Yogurt: The “good” bacteria in yogurt stimulate the production of white blood cells, which then attack invading microorganisms. 

Be cautioned before you pay your restaurant bill

Be cautioned before you pay your restaurant bill

Pay service tax of only 14.5 per cent on 40 percent of your total hotel bill.

Service tax is the tax levied by the government on services rendered by restaurants. Service tax is the same in all states. The service tax rate at present is 14.5 per cent (inclusive of Swachh Bharat cess). The restaurant must be air-conditioned for the service tax. Also, customers must know that they cannot be taxed on the full bill, but only on 40 per cent of the bill as directed. Whenever you see service tax on the

total bill exceeding about five per cent, you can question it. Service tax actually works out to only 5.6 per cent of the total bill, that is, 14 per cent of the 40 per cent. If the restaurant is indeed charging service tax at 14 per cent on the entire amount, rather than 5.6 per cent, the amount collected from customers should be paid to the government.

And restaurants are not supposed to charge VAT on packaged food or drinks, like bottled water. VAT should be charged only on food prepared by the restaurant. Products like bottled water are sold at the MRP. There is no additional VAT, since it is included in the MRP.

What you can do?

If you find a restaurant is overcharging, that is, charging 14 per cent service tax on the entire amount, you can bring it to the notice of authorities in the tax department.

If a restaurant is charging service tax on the full 100 per cent of the bill but paying tax only on 40 per cent, it can be prosecuted.

Affordable voice box for cancer patients

Affordable voice box for cancer patients

Until now, throat cancer patients who lost their voice boxes had to spend thousands of rupees to implant imported voice boxes. These imported voice boxes cost them anywhere between Rs.20,000 and Rs.40,000 and which had to be changed every six months.

But henceforth this would not be the case, because now Throat cancer patients who lost their voice boxes can regain their voice with Aum voice prosthesis that costs just around Rs.50.

Aum voice prosthesis is developed by a Bangalore- based oncologist Dr. Vishal Rao. This artificial voice device that weighs 25gms enables throat cancer patients, who had their larynx removed, to speak.

It pretty much works on the principle of the natural voice box. When air passes through the food pipe, it vibrates and creates a sound that can be converted into intelligent speech in coordination with the brain.

Every year, more than 25,000 people in the country are diagnosed with throat cancer cases and one-third of them face the risk of voice box removal.

Get passports in a week

Get passports in a week

If you still think that it requires at least a month to get your fresh passport, then you are wrong?

Until now, the process would take a month, with the police verification eating up a lot of time.

But citizens can now get a fresh passport under the normal category in a week if you provide your passport applications with these three documents such as - copies of Aadhaar card, electoral photo identity card (EPIC) and PAN card. And also provide an affidavit in the format of Annexure-I (declaration of citizenship, family details and no criminal record).

Police verification of such applications will be conducted after the passport is issued. There will be no extra charge for the service. The process is subject to online validation of the Aadhaar number while processing and an approval from the granting officer.

For more details visit your nearest Passport Seva Kendra or log on to www.passportindia.gov.in.

NCPCR Guidelines for conducting reality shows

NCPCR Guidelines for conducting reality shows

Although the Child Labour Amendment Bill allows participation of children in television shows, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) lays down guidelines to regulate child participation in this adult-oriented industry.

If you find any reality show violating any of the following guidelines please bring it to the notice of NCPCR.

1. Reality shows should not be competition-based.
2. Presence of parent/guardian during shoot should be ensured to provide emotional and psychological support to the child.
3. No child should be exposed to ridicule, insult or discouragement, harsh comments or any behavior that could affect his/her emotional health.
4. Parents should be counseled against showing disappointment if the child loses or performs poorly.
5. All reality shows involving children should employ a child psychologist/ counsellor who should be available on the sets.

Let us not see any child being demotivated or downgraded in any of the reality shows.

Complaints against Press

Complaints against Press

Who do you think you can complain for the misdeeds of any journalist or newspaper?

You can lodge a complaint against the press with the Press Council of India.

It is open to any person to lodge a complaint with the Press Council against a newspaper for a breach of the recognized ethical canons of journalistic propriety.

The complainant need not necessarily be the person aggrieved or directly involved.

Cases can also be initiated by any member of the public against any professional misconduct by an editor, working journalist, staff of a newspaper or engaged in freelance work. 

Here is the procedure for filing the complaint with Press Council of India.

It is a requirement of the Inquiry Regulations that the complainant should initially write to the editor of the newspaper drawing his attention to what the complainant considers to be a breach of journalistic ethics or an offence against public taste. 

The complainant has, in his complaint, to give the name and address of the newspaper, editor or journalist against whom the complaint is directed. 

A clipping of the matter or news-items complained of, in original or self attested copy (English translation, if the news item(s) is in vernacular) should accompany the complaint.

The complainant has to state in what manner the passage or news-items or the material complained of is objectionable.  He should also supply other relevant particulars, if any.

Similarly a newspaper, a journalist or any institution or individual can complain against Central or State Government or any organization or person for interference with free functioning of the press or encroachment on the freedom of the press.

For more details log on to www.presscouncil.nic.in